Anton McKee Moves to 15th in World in 200 Breast; Smashes Icelandic Record at LA Invite

LOS ANGELES, California, July 19. THE Los Angeles Invitational featured some incredible swims tonight, including a pair of top 20 efforts. Meanwhile, the Australian women stepped it up a notch with a handful of wins in their events.

Anton McKee ripped through the men’s 200-meter breaststroke finale with a 2:10.72. That swim vaulted him to 15th in the world rankings in the event. Additionally, it crushed McKee’s previous Icelandic record of 2:12.38 from the Richard Quick Invitational last month. Australia’s Nicholas Schafer placed second in the finale with a 2:11.25, while teammate Buster Sykes took third in 2:12.88.

Notably, breaststroke legend Kosuke Kitajima finished fourth in 2:15.68 as he continues to compete in the sport with an eye towards the 2020 Tokyo Games. Another breaststroke veteran put on a show in the breaststroke as well as 42-year-old Steve West finished 10th in the event with a 2:19.57. At 40, he was the oldest man to qualify to compete in a U.S. Olympic Trials in Omaha in 2012.

Stanford’s Maya DiRado nearly put up a lifetime best in the women’s 200-meter IM with a 2:12.30. That effort pushed her to 20th in the world rankings, and is the third-fastest of her career. Her top two times are a 2:11.92 from the 2011 U.S. Nationals and a 2:12.26 at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. California’s Caitlin Leverenz put up a second-place 2:12.67 with Australia’s Mikkayla Sheridan earning third in 2:15.79.

Jordan Wilimovsky chased down the men’s 1500-meter free title with a 15:15.86 to kick off the night in LA. Jack McLoughlin touched the wall in 15:17.80 for second in the event, while Logan Houck checked in with a 15:27.26 for third. California’s Josh Prenot clinched the men’s 400-meter IM title in 4:18.97. Aquazot’s Corey Okubo (4:20.01) and California’s Adam Hinshaw (4:24.94) comprised the rest of the podium in the distance medley.

Alexander Sukhorukov, who stands 18th in the world with a 1:47.39 from Russian Nationals in the men’s 200-meter free, won tonight in 1:48.15. Australia’s Kurt Herzog touched second in 1:48.21 with Trojan’s Cristian Quintero placing third in 1:48.44. California’s Seth Stubblefield touched in 23.09 to top the men’s 50-meter free with Redlands’ Joey Hale claiming second in 23.11. Utah’s Nick Soedel placed third in 23.24.

The Aussies moved to the top of the podium in an individual event in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke as Jessica Hansen raced to a 2:28.71. Canyon’s Andrea Kropp touched second in the finale with a 2:29.46, while Stanford’s Katie Olsen finished third in 2:29.64.

Australia’s second win came in the women’s 50-meter free with a 25.36 from Yolane Kukla. Teammate Holly Barratt posted a 25.50 for second with Canyons’ Abbey Weitzeil earning third in 25.57. The Aussie women kept on rolling here in Los Angeles tonight with a 1-2 finish in the women’s 400-meter free. Kylie Palmer won in 4:10.03 with Leah Neale touching second in 4:10.81. Trojan’s Haley Anderson wrapped up the top three in 4:11.96.

California scratches impacted the finale. Natalie Coughlin clocked a 25.37 to lead prelims in the women’s 50-meter free before scratching finals. Nathan Adrian raced to a 21.90 to top the men’s 50-meter prelims and also pulled out of finals.

Australia’s Leah Neale, Carla Buchanan, Mikkayla Sheridan and Kylie Palmer took home the women’s 800-meter free relay in 8:04.04 as the team won by a wide margin as De Anza Cupertino (8:38.94) and Sandpipers of Nevada (8:39.67) took second and third in the event.

Roadrunner’s Dennis Cassidy, Gabriel Bertrand, Brock Bonetti and Mitchell Huxhold topped the men’s 800-meter free relay in 7:45.77. Golden West B (7:50.16) and Golden West A (7:52.25) placed second and third.

Full results available on Meet Mobile.

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